Promotional studio portrait of American country singer and songwriter George Jones with an acoustic guitar, circa 1970. ((Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images))

Update: A public funeral for country icon George Jones will take place on Thursday, May 2 at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn.

Jones, widely considered one of the most influential country singers ever to have lived, died Friday in Nashville at age 81.

Several high-profile musicians and government officials will speak at the legendary singer’s funeral, including former first lady Laura Bush, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, CBS News’s Bob Schieffer, and country star Kenny Chesney.

“The caliber of speakers and performers is a testament to what George Jones meant to everyone in the world,” said the late Jones’s publicist Kirt Webster in a statement. “[George’s widow] Nancy is overwhelmed by the love and support of not only George’s fans, but also the music community, public figures and friends.”

The funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. central time and will be broadcast across several national and local TV and radio stations. Fans can listen to the ceremony online at WSM Online or watch at The Grand Ole Opry’s official website.

George Jones was known for his expressive, vulnerable style and distinctive phrasing that added emotional depth to even the most cheerful honky-tonk songs.

In his prolific career spanning over half a century, Jones recorded dozens of best-selling country albums and over 150 number one country hits, including “White Lightning” (1959), “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980), and “I Always Get Lucky With You” (1983).

Within minutes of the news of his passing, Twitter was flooded with condolences and tributes from his fans, including several major country stars.

“We lost one of the best voices God created this morning,” Faith Hill tweeted. “Our hearts are saddened to hear that George Jones has passed away…”

Blake Shelton tweeted, “Really REALLY bad news. We’ve lost a country music legend. And I’ve lost a hero and a friend. Goodbye George Jones…”

And Keith Urban tweeted this touching message about the legendary singer’s passing: “If I’m blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!”

Jones had planned to retire from country music this year and was set to play his final concert this November, in what was to be a sold-out performance featuring country, rock, and soul legends such as Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Kenny Rogers, and Randy Travis.

Jones had also been working on his final album, on which he had been collaborating closely with longtime friend Dolly Parton.

In an interview with The Boot earlier this year, Jones talked about how he wanted people to remember his illustrious career: “I would like to be remembered as a singer who stayed true to country music and did it my way,” he said.